Middle Tennessee is growing, and so are its schools

Of the six countywide school districts adjacent to Davidson County, half have seen enrollment growth of 30 percent or more in the last decade, reflecting the region's swelling population.

Williamson County Schools led the region withastudent population up almost 39 percent in the last decade, followed by Wilson and Rutherford schools, with about 33 percent and 32 percent growth, respectively.

Additionally,the county has diverted more property tax revenue from the county’s highway funds to debt funds to pay forschool construction. And on few occasions, county officials have expressed interest in exploring the feasibility of selling county-owned assets.

Neighboring counties are also looking at all their options.

Wilson County officials will spend the next four months discussing ways to fund new school construction, according to Mayor Randall Hutto.

"Our goal in our office is to really put as many tools in the toolbox for the commissioners to look at," Hutto said.

"There are definitely those traditional options with property tax, sales tax and wheel tax," he said. "We will be exploring as many options as possible."

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A worker carries supplies on the construction site for Gladeville Middle School in Mt. Juliet, Tenn. on Wed. Dec. 6, 2017.(Photo11: Alan Poizner for The Tennessean)

Expecting 500 to 700 new students per year, Wilson County has purchased land in Mt. Juliet for a new elementary, middle and high school. The high school alone is estimated at $110 million, an all-inclusive cost that covers construction, site work, an athletic complex, furniture, fixtures and other items.

While Rutherford County Schools expects to grow by about 16 percent by the 2021-22 school year, funding options are even more limited.

“We have no more tools in our toolbox,” said Lisa Nolen, the county's finance director. “We have maxed out everything the state allows us to do, other than property tax.”

Unlike Williamson County, Rutherford County does not have legislation in place that would allow the county to implement an education impact fee, according to Nolen.

Raising the local sales tax is also off the table — the county is already at its maximum rate.

Over the next five to six years, the Rutherford County Schools’ capital plan calls for nine new schools and 11 additions, land acquisitions or other facility improvements — similar to Williamson County's most recent capital plan.

"People are coming, so we have to provide the spots," Nolen said. "What we’re doing is more reactionary to the growth."

Mickey Hall, Wilson County Schools' deputy director, said the rising construction costs also strain local budgets.

"The cost of construction has gone up so much because everything is booming in the Metro Nashville area," Hall said. "All of us that touch (Metro Nashville), we're all facing that dilemma."

"The costs are escalating more than what we'd like them to," Hall said.

And funding needs don’t stop at capital projects.

“Along with the infrastructure, you have everything else that goes with facilities,” said Hall. “You’ve got more textbooks, computers, more buses, more bus drivers and more maintenance staff.”

He added: “You’ve got to retain teachers and hire more teachers to meet the needs of our students.”

'Every available nook and cranny'

Rutherford County Schools has 146 portable classrooms.

“Schools have used every available nook and cranny they can find — closets, workrooms and auditoriums,” said district spokesman James Evans.